Printing mechanism



Dec. 1 1925- 1,564,042 J. ZAHN PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 25, 1922 5he ts-Sheet 1 Dec. 1', 1925- 1,564,042

L. J. ZAHN PRINTING MECHANISM F l d 25, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec.1,1925 1.564.042

L. J. ZAHN PRINTING MECHANISM 'med Sept, 25, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet s1,564,042 1.. J. ZAHN PRINTING MECHANISM Fil d Sept, 25, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 4 L. J. ZAHN PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 25, 1922 5Sheets-Sheet 5 v///// JVVl/V/r/A L.L IIIIIIIIIIJ'IIIIIIA Patented Dec.1, 1925. 1

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFF-ICE.

LAWRENCE J- ZAEHN, .OF ASTOBIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERNATIONALPOSTAL SUPPLY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF YORK.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

Application filed. September 25,1322.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE J. ZAHN,

a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Astoria, county ofQueens, and State of New York,'have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Printing Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to printing mechanism and more particularly to amachine 1 for endorsing checks or for like purposes having a rotatableprinting cylinder, check feeding means, and means vautomaticallycontrolled by the checks to effect a single revolution of the printingcylinder for each check passing through the machine, such for instanceas that shown in the pending application of William F. Muller, filedJuly 28th, 1922, Serial No. 578,272.

The primary object and purpose of the present invention is to simplifyand improve I the construction and arrangement of the operating gearingfor the feeding mechanism and the impression roll and printing cylinderso as to obtain a more direct transmission of the power from the drivingmotor and thereby I render the operation of the several parts morepositive and at the same time materially reduce the manufacturing costof the machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved mountingand arrangement of the electric motor and the driving connection betweensaid motor and the primary transmission shaft of the operatingmechanism.

With the above and other objects in view, theinvention consists in theimproved printing mechanism and in the form, construction and relativearrangement of its several 4 parts as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequentlyincorporated in the su'bjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated one practical embodiment ofthe invention and in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating one embodiment of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Serial No. 590,255.

Figure AL is a section taken on the line he of Figure 13;

Figure :5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5.-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a detail elevation showing the mounting and arrangement ofthe housing for the operating gears of the printing couple; I

Figure ,7 isa detail section taken on the line '7.7 of Figure 2, and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line '8.8 of Figure 7.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention I have shown the same asapplied to an endorsing or cancelling machine for checks, certificatesor other papers which in many respects is similar to the mechanismillustrated and vdescribedin the pending application above referred to.V

The motor and operating gearing for the several active instrumentalitiesis mounted in a suitable housing or casing consisting of spaced sideplates 5 connected by tie rods 6 and mounted upon a suitable base 7. Theseveral parts of the gearing are covered and protected by the hinged topplate 8.

The operating parts of the. machine include the printing coupleconsisting of a type carrying cylinder or die 9 which is removablysecured upon one end of a driv.- ing spindle 10 which projects beyondone of the side plates 5. Beneath the spindle 10, a shaft or spindle 11is rotatably sup ported a bracket 12 which is fixed upon a rockshaft 13journaled at itsopposite ends in the side plates 5. Upon the end of theshaft 11 which projects exteriorly of the frame a rubber coveredimpression roller 14 is secured. The shaft 11 and one of the bearingsfor said shaft on the bracket 12 are vertically movable in a slot 15provided in the side plate '5 through which said shaft extends. A coilspring 16 connected to the bracket 12 yieldingly holds the impressionroller 14 in its normal position with respect to the printing cylinder9. The pressure of 1 the roller '14 against the paper check inopposition to the pressure .of the printing cylinder on said check maybe suitablyregulated-by'the adjustment of the stop rod 17 in'thetransverse bar 18 .con necting the'side plates 5.

Uponthe spindle 10 of the printing cylinder a sleeve 19 is looselymounted and is providedat one of its ends with a gear 20. The oppositeend faces of this sleeve are recessed to receive friction discs 21.lVith one of these discs the opposed end of a second-sleeve 22 fixedupon the spindle is engaged. At the opposite end of the sleeve 19 acollar 23 is disposed upon said spindle and has a diametricallyextending pin 24 movable in a longitudinally elongated slot in thespindle. A nut 25 is threaded upon the end of the spindle and a spring26 is interposed between said nut and the collar 23. By, the adjustmentof the nut 25 the pressure of the spring 26 acting to force collar 23into frictional contact with the disc 21, may be controlled andregulated. The collar 25 may be rigidly fixed in its adjusted positionby means of a suitable set screw 27. It will also be apparent that thepressure of the spring 26 acts to hold the opposite end of the looselymounted sleeve 19 in close frictional contact against the other disc 21,which in turn urges said disc tightly against the end of the fixedsleeve 22. Thus it will be apparent that when the spindle 10 is free orno resistance is applied thereto, the sleeve 19, the sleeve 22 and saidspindle will rotate as a unit. When, however, the fixed sleeve 22 andconsequently, the spindle 10 are held against rotation, the sleeve 19will rotate loosely on the spindle. As the means for automaticallycontrolling the rotation of the spindle 10 carrying the printingcylinder constitutes no part of the present invention and is fullydescribed in the pending application of William F. Muller, abovereferredto, it will not therefore be further described in detail.

The feeding mechanism for the checks or other paper. slips is alsosimilar to that shown in said pending application. For the purposes ofthe present explanation it will suffice to state that the checks arearranged in a pile upon the supporting and guiding plate 28 and are fedforwardly over said plate by a rubber covered roller '29, fixedupon theshaft 30 beneath a presser foot 31. This presser foot is carried by theshaft 32 upon which a rubbercovered roller 33 is fixed, said shaft beingvertically.movable in a slot 34 in the side plate 5 as the presser'footis vertically adjusted re'lativeto the plate 28by any suitabl means. ofsaid shaft is mounted in an arm 35 fixed upon a rockshaft 36 journaledin the frame plates 5. Beneath the plate 28 a rubber covered feed roller37 is fixed upon the outer end of the shaft 38 which is arranged invertical alignment with the shaft 32, said roller 37 operating tofeedthe lowermost paper check or slip forwardlyfbetween a pair of upperrubber covered rollers 39 and an opposed pair of lower metal rollers 40,said lower rollers being fixed upon the The inner end outer end of ashaft 41. These rollers 39 and 40 continue the forward movement of thepaper check between the printing cylinder 9 and the impression cylinder14. The mechanism above described is operated by means of an electricmotor 42 which is suitably secured upon the underside of a plate 44loosely hung from the shaft 30 by suitable bearings 45. The plate 44extends longitudinally above the motor shaft 46 and is provided on itsother end with a suitable housing 47 through which the shaft '41extends. The motor shaft 46 isjournaled in the lower side of the housingand is provided with a worm 48 which is engaged with the worm gear 49fixed on the shaft 41.

As seen in Figure '7 of the drawings, the motor shaft may be made in twosections, one of which is provided with a worm 48, said worm sectionbeing rigidly coupled to the other section of the motor shaft'by thesleeve 50 upon which adjacent to the motor case, a fan 51 may be securedso as to prevent over. heating of the motor by maintaining a constantcirculation of air throughout the interior of the case. It will thus beseen that the operating motor is suspended with its shaft in anobliquely inclined position from the spaced shafts 30 and 41.

Upon the shaft 41 a gear 52 is fixed and meshes with a revising gear 53,which in turn is engaged with a gear 54 on the inner end of the shaft 11whereby the impression cylinder of the printing couple is rotated in theproper direction. This inner end of the shaft 11 and the shaft of thereversing gear 53 are journaled in the opposite side walls of a housing55 which is also loosely mounted upon the shaft 41 and encloses the gear52. The openings in the housing walls which receive the shaft 11 areslightly elongated horizontally as indicated at 56 in Figure 6 of thedrawings so that in the vertical movement of the shaft 11 the housing 55may freely swing or rock upon the shaft 41.

Exteriorly of the housing 55 a relatively large gear 57 is fixed on theshaft 41 and is j in constant meshing engagement with the gear 20 on theloosely mounted sleeve 19. An additional smaller gear 58 is also securedupon the shaft 41 and engaged with a large gear 59 on the stud shaft 60fixed in one of the frame plates '5. This gear 59 transmits rotation'tothe gear 61 fixed on the shaft 38. The smaller gear'62 secured upon thisshaft meshes with a gear 63 mounted upon a stud shaft 64, which connectsthe arms 65 and 66 loosely engaged upon the shafts 38 and 32respectively. Rotation is transmitted to the shaft 32 from the gear 63by means of the gear 67'which is fixed upon said shaft 32.

The shaft 30 of the feed roller 29 has a gearv 68 fixed thereon in meshwith the reled from said shafts and havingits shaft diatively large gear.69, which is engaged with the gear 61} Through the medium of thegearing above described, it willbe seenthat the several activeinstrumentalities of the feeding and printing mechanism are operated inthe proper directions so that the paper checks or slips are singly fedin an automatic manner to the printing couple where they are stamped ormarked. The relative mounting and arrangement of the several gearelements with the motor provides a very compact arrangement of theoperating mechanism and by utilizing a worm gearing connection betweenthemotor shaft and the operating shaft 41, a very positive transmissionof power from the motor to the several active parts of the mechanism isobtained. h

For the purpose of absorbing vibration, 1 preferably provide a coil.spring 70 connecting the motor supporting plate 44 with one of the tierods 6.

Ink is supplied to the type face of the printing cylinder 9 by means ofa suitably mounted inking roller 71 which may be properly adjusted so asto exert the desired pressure upon the printing type. Also the machineis equipped with the usual counter 72- actuated from the shaft 10through the medium of a star wheel 73 engaged by a pawl 74 on saidshaft. However, this of course, is not an essential feature of theinvention as any other operating means for the counter might beprovided.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and severaladvantages of my invention may be clearly and fully understood. Byreason of the greater simplicity and compactness in arrangement of themotor and operating gearing, lost motion between the several parts isreduced to a minimum and a more positive and efiicient transmission ofpower to the various parts is obtained. It will also be apparent thatdue to the reduction in the number of gear elements, the machine may beproduced at appreciably less cost than prior machines of this type.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is nevertheless to be understood that the same issusceptible of considerable modification in the form, proportion andrelative arrangement of the several parts and I, therefore, reserve theprivilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairlyembodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a printing mechanism, spaced shafts each actuating an activeelement of the mechanism, and an operating motor suspendrectly geared toone of the firstnained shafts. 2. In a printing mechanism, spaced shaftseach actuating an active element of the mechanism, an operating motorsuspended from said shafts and having its shaft directlygeared to one ofthe first named shafts, and a housing enclosing said gearing andproviding a bearing for the motor shaft.

3. In a printing mechanism, spaced feed roller shafts, an operatingmotor suspended from one of said shafts and having its shaft directlygeared to the other of the first named shafts, and gearing connectingsaid feed roller shafts with each other.

4. In a printing mechanism, spaced feed roller shafts, an operatingmotor suspended from saidshafts and having its shaft directly geared toone of the first named shafts, and a housing through which the lattershaft extends enclosing said gearing and providing a bearing for themotor shaft.

5. In a printing mechanism, spaced shafts each actuating an activeelement of the mechanism, a supporting plate loosely mounted at one ofits ends upon one of said shafts, a housing on the other end of saidplate through which the other of said shafts extends and in which themotor shaft is journaled, and gearing within the housing connecting thelatter shafts to each other.

6. In a machine of the class described in combination with a printingcylinder and an adjustable impression cylinder, an operating motor, ashaft directly geared to the motor shaft, gearing connecting said shaftwith the printing cylinder, additional gearing transmitting rotationfrom said shaft to the impression cylinder in a reverse direction to therotation of the printing cylinder. and a housing for said gearingloosely mounted for rocking movement upon said first named shaft.

7. In a machine of the class described, in combination with a printingcylinder and an adjustable impression cylinder, an operating motor, ashaft directl geared to the motor shaft, gearing connecting said shaftwith the printing cylinder, additional gearing transmitting rotationfrom said shaft to the impression cylinder in a reverse direction to therotation of the printing cylinder, a housing for said gearing looselymounted for rocking movement upon said first named shaft, a feed rollershaft, and a gear train connecting said first named shaft to the feedroller shaft.

8. In combination with a feed mechanism and a printing couple having aprinting cylinder and an adjustable impression cylinder, 7

an operating motor suspended from spaced shafts each actuating an activeelement of the feeding mechanism, gearing operatively connecting one ofsaid shafts with the printing eylinden a housing loosely engaged formaking m'wvem'entupon said shaft and through which the ehait (if theimpression cylinder extends, gearing enclosed :by said :hemingfor tmnsnnting rotation ii-om the first named shaft-to the shaft of theimpresei'cin cyl inder, worm gearing directly "conmeeting the :meito rshaft to said first named shaft, and an additionalzgear-trainconnectii-ng swid sp'aced shafts of the' feeding mechanism to eachother.

9. In combination with a feedingmechanism and a printing couple having aprinting' cylimiernznd an adjustable impression cylinder, a pla teloosely prqvided at its oppee ite ends upon epwed active shafts of theweeding mechanism, said gplate at one of it's ends being provided with aear housing, e motor casesuspended from-t e opposite e d of said plate,the shaft of the motor being journaled insai'd gear housing, wormgearing in said housing connecting the motor shaft with one of saidactiveshaits, additional gearing connecting the latter shafft With theprinting cylinder and impression cylinder-t0 rotate said cylinders inrelatively opposite directions, and a gear train conmeeting the spacedactive shafts of the feeding mechanism 'to'each other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name hereunder.

LAWRENCE JQ ZAHN.

